Battle of Talos
Overview The Battle of Talos was a battle that took place during the Char'in Civil War and was fought between Eternal Imperial forces and Char'in Dominion forces. During the Battle of Nalon, Operation: Corsair came into play, in which 3 trillion men and 5,000 navy vessels would attack Char, the home planet of the Char'in Dominion, and 1 trillion men and 2,000 navy vessels would recapture Nalonia for the Nalonia Republic. In the year 451 AFE, Imperial forces landed on Char at multiple points. One of them was in the port city of Talos. Prelude: "Turning the Tide" Ever since c. 350 AFE, the Char'in Dominion and the Nalonia Republic have been at war with each other in a conflict that is known as the Char'in Civil War. The Dominion has gained victory after victory in the civil war, and although the Republic had gained some major victories, it wasn't enough to slow down the Dominion war machine. At the brink of the Republic's extinction, at the Battle of Nalon, one superpower would save the Republic and defend it for many years to come: the Eternal Empire. When he came to power, Eternal Emperor Revus promised the Nalonia Republic that he would not fail them and save their history, heritage, and existence from the wrath of the Char'in Dominion. He was going to fulfill that promise. In 451 AFE, the Eternal Empire entered the Char'in Civil War and declared war on the Char'in Dominion. After all, Arven of Hunter City was attacked by Dominion forces upon discovering the system. So, Revus and his war council used cutting-edge surveillance equipment, spies, and intelligence from the Nalonia Republic to devise what became known as Operation: Corsair. This operation was one of the most cunning plans ever devised by the Eternal Empire, and Revus knew for sure that the tide of the war would be turned. Battle of Talos: "The Frontline Marines" In a joint assault on the planet of Char, Operation: Corsair was an offensive plan devised by Eternal Emperor Revus the Great that he ensured would turn the tide of the Char'in Civil War in favor of the Nalonia Republic. While the Battle of Nalon was taking place, 3 trillion men and 5,000 Imperial navy vessels would assault the planet of Char. In a series of simultaneous attacks, the Empire would assault the planet at multiple points across the planet. After gaining intelligence from the Nalonia Republic, the Empire considered that the most notable points were at three locations: the metropolis of Atticus, the military fort at Gehan Canyon, and the port city of Talos. Talos was a bustling city filled with activity. It had numerous starports and waterports as well, making it a center of trade from the planet. Revus concluded that if Talos were taken, the economy and war effort of the Char'in Dominion would surely be affected; however, surveillance of the area showed a strong wall and 180,000 men guarding the city as well as the nearby Dyar Forest, a forest filled with routes of travel to and from Talos. The Emperor concluded that he needed a well-trained force to take on this arduous task. He knew there was only one force in the Imperial military that was far more superior to even the Imperial Corsairs and the Rebel Raiders. That force was known as the 1st Frontline Marines. The 1st Frontline Marines are the most elite force in the entire Imperial military. They are trained in all tasks known to the Empire, from besieging large cities to a calculated search-and-rescue mission. The Frontline Marines are trained in speed, strength, stealth, and sharpshooting, their well-known 4 S's to success. Their Mark III Armor is the most advanced armor devised by Imperial scientists yet, and their old but reliable GQ-2 submachine guns and GQ-5 laser rifles get the job done. Revus knew that they could do it. After all, their motto is, "First to fight, last to leave". The Landing The 1st Frontline Marines are one of the oldest and most prestigious units in the entire Imperial army. Their leader, Command Marshal Crovan Azer, was one of the most decorated officers in the history of the Imperial military. He was offered a spot to be one of the generals in Revus' War Council, but Azer preferred his command of the 1st Frontline Marines, stating that "feeling the thrill of battle is far more satisfying than sitting at a desk doing paperwork." The 1st Frontline Marines were 10,000 strong, and although were outnumbered by the Dominion's forces 18-1, they had never lost a battle to anybody, even when the odds were far greater than the odds at Talos. Confident in their training and skills, the 1st Frontline Marines used their para-packs to safely land inside the dense Dyar Forest with precise accuracy. They then took control of stations along roads in the forest guarded by Dominion troops, controlling what came in and out of the port city land-wise. Azer Company, Command Marshal Azer's personal bodyguard, went with Azer to the heavily fortified watchtower in front of the gates to Talos. They quickly took control of the tower, using pinpoint accuracy and assault techniques to safely secure the tower. Azer Company then divided up into groups, with the snipers and machineguns using the top of the tower as a vantage point to take out Dominion defenders on the walls of the city and to cause havoc in the city by spraying laser fire at the streets, while the rest of Azer Company would take defensive positions around the tower to prevent any incoming assault. 1,000 Dominion soldiers were sent to take out Azer Company, which numbered up to 128 soldiers, but they were reinforced by a company from the 2nd Assault Marines, who also joined the 1st Frontline Marines in the assault on Talos. Led by Command Marshal Jax Price, the 2nd Assault Marines also numbered about 10,000 strong, and although they were only equipped with the Mark II standard Imperial armor, they were still skilled warriors and earned the privilege of fighting beside the 1st Frontline Marines on numerous occasions. The Siege of Talos After the Dyar Forest was secured by the 1st Frontline Marines and the 2nd Assault Marines, the citizens of Talos were in a state of panic. The enemy soldiers were right outside their doorstep, and a mass evacuation was called into order by the chief official of the city. Since Talos' only exit besides the entry into the Dyar Forest was the Syra River, the citizens started to pack on the boats along the river and began a mass exodus downstream to seek safety at Trigium, both a port and a mining city. Of the 450,000 citizens living at Talos, only 56,000 got out of the city in time before the Imperial Marines, or "grunts" as they are called by Special Forces (although some can argue the 1st Frontline Marines can be classified as a Special Forces unit), started their onslaught. What happened next at Talos was a mortifying event and some do not know whom to put the blame on. Azer supposedly received a message from Revus, stating that Azer, Price, and the Marines must use the watchtower in their possession as a vantage point to target unarmed citizens with sniper fire, rocket launchers, and machine gun fire. The Imperial air force unit known as the 941st Flight Squadron, nicknamed "The Hunters", would join in with their NS-7 NovaShark bombers and NS-5 NovaSparrow starfighters to cause havoc throughout the city by bombing and strafing the citizens. Filled with anger and anguish, as well as profound loyalty, Azer and Price gave the order to start the onslaught. Bombs, rockets, and lasers quaked the streets of Talos, destroying building after building and slaughtering civilian after civilian. Of the 394,000 citizens left behind, only 1,000 survived and were taken as prisoners of war. Almost the entire city had been leveled to the ground, with the only buildings left standing being the public library, the harbor facilities, and the government building, which was used as a frontline command center for Azer and Price. Although the Marines raised their voices in victory, they also questioned their morality and that of their superiors, Azer, Price, and Revus. They did not betray their commanders and their Emperor; however, citizens of the Empire began to fear that Revus could become another Tigarus, or maybe even another Crovanero. Aftermath The city of Talos was captured by the Eternal Empire and was used as a vantage point for inserting other Imperial Marine units. Skirmishes in the Dyar Forest occurred between Dominion and Imperial forces, all resulting in minimal casualties for the Marines. In the battle, the Marines had a total of 2,000 casualties, and the Dominion lost over 170,000 soldiers and 393,000 citizens at the hands of the Imperials. This mass murder was explained by Revus in a press conference. Revus stated that he indeed ordered Azer and Price to execute the order of the mass genocide of the Char'in inside the city of Talos. He did this because he had received information that an Imperial soldier and his wife have been captured by Dominion forces. They have been beaten and scarred by the Char'in interogators, who were trying to obtain information on Imperial battle plans. Team Sigma-5, an Imperial Corsair unit, was sent to an undisclosed location on Nalonia and found the soldier's wife, holding her husband's lifeless body. The soldier's name was Cien Tarast, one of Azer's closest friends and member of the 1st Frontline Marines. His wife's name was Linda Tarast, a nurse working with the 1st Frontline Marines. They had a son, a 17-year-old named Linor Tarast, who mourned the death of his father greatly. He was also in the 1st Frontline Marines, and participated in the Battle of Talos. His comrades, lifelong friends, and his fiancé, Tera Vale, the daughter of the second-in-command of the 1st Frontline Marines Arsus Vale, tried to comfort him in his time of need. As shown by this experience, the 1st Frontline Marines are a very connected unit, and act as one big family. The entire Empire mourned for the loss of the Tarasts and the 1st Frontline Marines. It all made sense. It made sense that such a righteous Emperor like Revus would order such a mortifying course of action in a siege. The offensive halted for the day after the Battle of Talos. This became one of the most important holidays of the Eternal Empire, celebrating those who have fought for the Empire and died fighting as well as the current generation of the Empire's fighting force. Named after the nickname of the 1st Frontline Marines, this national holiday became known as "Brotherhood Day". Category:Trillian Sector Category:Imperial Marine Corps